This past week the Union of Concerned Scientists released a report on Bush
admin warping federal science efforts. Called "Scientific Integrity in
Policymaking" it's available as a 660K pdf from
http://www.ucsusa.org/ with
some poking around. Top article about new campaign leads to, as I recall,
actual access is in text just above pics when you get there. It's
eye-opening on USDA too - including good work suppressed.
"Sensitive" below means it has to go to partisan operators before it goes
public,
or anywhere besides trash, which is sobering. If you wonder about ACT &
USNOP, see #13, and recall ACT almost bit the dust at NOP in October 2002.
Awful lot on GMO's, too. If there's an organic peep here I can't see it.
>From "Scientific Integrity in Policymaking" - Union of Concerned Scientists,
February 2004.
USDA "Sensitive Issue " List
Appendix B
The following is an internal USDA document issued in February 2002 that
accompanied a directive to USDA staff scientists to seek prior approval
before publishing any research or speaking publicly on "sensitive issues."
The document was supplied by Dr. James Zahn, then on staff at USDA.
LIST OF SENSITIVE ISSUES FOR ARS MANUSCRIPT REVIEW AND APPROVAL BY NATIONAL
PROGRAM STAFF -FEBRUARY 2002 (REVISED)
1. Creation of transgenic food or feed organisms by genetic engineering.
2. Studies of genetically engineered organisms in the field.
3. Cloning of animals by somatic cell nuclear transfer.
4. Somatic cell fusion to recombine DNA in ways that cannot be achieved
through sexual crossing.
5. Dioxin research.
6. Plant, microbial and animal patent policy.
7. Agricultural practices with negative health and environmental
consequences, eg., global climate change; contamination of water by
hazardous materials (nutrients, pesticides, and pathogens); animal feeding
operations or crop production practices that negatively impact soil, water,
or air quality.
8. Boll weevil eradication program.
9. International plant germplasm policies.
10. Research findings and recommendations that are contrary to current
dietary guidelines or may be used in food labeling.
11. Megadoses of nutrients that may be beneficial to human health/nutrition.
12. Radiolytic products in food.
13. Harmful microorganisms and their products (e.g., aflatoxin, mycotoxin,
fumonisin, Salmonella, E.Coli) in agricultural commodities.
14. Pesticides or animal drugs in foods above approved tolerance levels.
15. All transmissible encephalopathy (TSE) research including BSE research.
16. Herbicide-resistant crop plant research.
17. Animal well-being/animal use.
The priorities suggested here are perverse! Especially when you think how
many secrets are now being kept.
I had an Aha! seeing the thousand year north hemisphere temp history chart
banished by bushies: On global warming, it's not just how hot it's getting,
it's mainly how cold it's not getting anymore. Du-uh? Hadn't got that as
clear
before, anyway. Good report.
Kirk L
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark
Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada.
http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511
http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/0PSxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/compost_tea/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
compost_tea-unsubscribe_at_yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Received on Sun Feb 22 2004 - 03:17:33 EST